Improvement in wire corkscrews



1.11 ATES WILLIAM R. OLOUGH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WIRE CORKSCREWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,755, dated April 6, 1875; application filed March 17, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. CLOUGH, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Corkscrews, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to certain improvements in corkscrews. Such articles have heretofore been formed of a spirally-twisted rod of metal, pointed at its lower end, and provided with a shank upon its upper end, which is connected to the handle. The shank, to possess the proper strength to resist bending or breaking, has necessarily to be made much thicker than the spiral portion, which should be made of as thin a wire as possible to prevent twisting or destroying the cork. This necessitates the construction of a blank especially adapted to the purpose, from which to form the corkscrew, which involves quite an amount of labor, and renders the article very expensive 5 besides, the shank necessitates the use of a stop of some kind at its juncture with the spiral portion to prevent its being drawn into the cork, and bursting the same, which adds further to the expense of the article.

My invention is designed to obviate these defects, and simplify the construction of such articles and lessen the expense of the same 5 and it consists of a corkscrew formed of a wire or rod of iron, steel, brass, or other metal, of proper thickness, and of uniform size throughout its length, said wire or bar being twisted for a portion of its length into the required spiral shape, the remaining portion being bent into an angular or polygonal shaped handle, the free end being lapped, tied, or otherwise fastened to the portion of the wire immediately above the spiral or screw, as fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents one form, showing the essential features of my invention; and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 exhibit several modifications thereof.

The letter A represents the twisted or spiral portion of the corkscrew, and B the handle of the same. The whole is formed of a wire or rod of iron, steel, brass, or other suitable material, of a size depending upon the use to which thecorkscrew is to be applied. The wire is spirally twisted in any suitable manner for a portion of its length, the end being properly sharpened so as to readily penetrate the cork. The remaining portion is bent into an annular, oval, or polygonal handle, the free end 0 being lapped, twisted, tied,or otherwise united to the wire at the point immediately above the spiral at the termination of the same. By preference, said end is simply tied,

as soldering, brazing, or otherwise uniting the same, while tending to increase the strength of the joint, would add to the expense of the article.

Instead of being bent into a simple loop, the straight portion of the wire may be formed with one or more twists, as shown in Fig. 2, when extra strength of handle is desired.

It will be seen that by this construction the shank is dispensed with entirely, and the handle itself forms the stop to prevent bursting the cork, furnishing an efficient and inexpensive article, which can be formed of a wire of uniform thickness, obviating the necessity of employing a blank specially made for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A corkscrew formed of a wire of iron, steel, brass, or other metal, twisted spirally, as described, for a portion of its length, the remaining portion being bent into an angular or polygonal shaped loop to form the handle, the free end being secured to the wire immediately at the termination of the spiral, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

WM. R. CLOUGH.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. N oRRIs, GEO. W. OUSHING, Jr. 

